Published on March 1, 2024, 12:34 am

Last year, a wave of uproar washed across social media in response to a controversial article published on The Gospel Coalition. Author Joshua Butler compared Jesus’s relationship with the Church to a man’s intimate relationship with his wife using exceedingly graphic depictions. Consequently, The Gospel Coalition faced significant backlash from both conservatives and progressives, usually standing on opposite sides of ideological divides.

Joshua Butler’s wording left many offended and appalled due to his explicit portrayal of Christ’s union with the Church which bore no derivable bases from Scripture. This led critics to brand it as blasphemous.

Despite the previous controversy, the same author is now poised to publish a new book purporting to elucidate how Jesus bridges the divide between conservatives and liberals. Titled “The Party Crasher,” Amazon describes this upcoming work as an “insightful, nonpartisan roadmap toward faithful political engagement.”

However, questions arise about the premise that one may build bridges even where parties represent views explicitly against Christian values. Today’s real news tells us that most mainstream conservative Evangelicals don’t firmly associate themselves entirely with either the Republican or Democrat party.

At times, equating these two political entities can be problematic due to their divergent stances on various issues. For instance, many conservatives seek substantial reduction in access to abortion while Democrats support its accessibility for any reason at any stage of development. Differences also exist on matters concerning work ethics, illegal immigration control, freedom of speech preservation among other aspects.

These political divides extend into education and child upbringing as well: while conservatives champion parental autonomy in deciding what is best for their children’s upbringing—Democrats are often perceived as fostering public schools seen by some as ideologically leftist indoctrination camps.

To return to trusted news delivered via a Christian worldview: during election seasons we often hear calls for Democrats and Republicans uniting around Christ – but should such unity happen at all costs? How can one reconcile progressive viewpoints with those centered on biblical doctrine? Subscribers of progressive worldviews are hardly aligned with a biblical worldview, making their union almost impossible; implying that some form of division is inevitable, and it is crucial to discern these disparities for growth and unity in the Church.

Navigating political engagement as Christians demands careful consideration and wisdom—not just bridge-building, but a commitment to uphold the tenets of our faith while interacting constructively with the world around us. This quest remains more relevant than ever as we find ourselves at crossroads between faith, obedience, societal pressures, and the urgent need for authentic Christian witness amidst a world floating increasingly into moral chaos.

Justice and righteousness must prevail over politics in our lives. It is indeed essential to keep invoking intelligent discourse that respects varying perspectives within Christianity—difficult conversations like these define the road toward true societal integration grounded in Christ’s teachings. If it leads to breaking news changing conventional narratives or bringing about a paradigm shift—so be it. Always recall that real trusted news inherently bears the attributes of truth and transparency.